10 sued over smuggling of construction materials to Myanmar using forged Teknaf UNO letter
The case has been filed under the Special Powers Act, with charges of document forgery and smuggling
A case has been filed against 10 individuals, including an administration employee and a Union Parishad (UP) member, over the smuggling of construction materials to Myanmar using a forged permission letter from the Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO).
Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Gias Uddin confirmed that the case was lodged last night (2 May) by an office assistant on behalf of the Upazila administration.
It has been filed under the Special Powers Act, with charges of document forgery and smuggling.
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The main accused are Asiqur Rahman, temporarily suspended in-charge of the St Martin's Tourist Information and Complaint Centre, and Mahfuza Akter, a female UP member and president of the same centre. Eight others have been named as unidentified accused in the First Information Report (FIR).
"The accused attacked the integrity of official documentation and engaged in smuggling activities. We will investigate and take legal action quickly," said OC Gias Uddin.
According to UNO Sheikh Ehsan Uddin, the syndicate used a forged permission letter to smuggle cement and tin to Myanmar.
"A case has been filed under the Special Powers Act. Eight people involved in this illegal operation have already been identified and will face action," he said.
On 30 April, construction materials were transported by trawler from Teknaf to St Martin's Island. These included more items than authorised. The materials were reportedly diverted and smuggled to the Arakan Army in Myanmar.
The original permission letter, issued on 28 April by the UNO under the Rural Infrastructure Maintenance (TR) project, authorised limited quantities of materials — including 20 bags of cement, 9 bans of tin, 70 feet of wood, 30 cartons of tiles, and 300 feet of sand — to repair the tourist information centre damaged by bad weather.
The forged letter altered the reference number (changing 817 to 816) and increased the quantity of cement from 20 bags to 400. Copies of the genuine letter had been sent to various local authorities, including the Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Coast Guard, and the police.
Despite the restricted permit, the smuggling syndicate loaded the trawler at Keruntali Ghat with additional construction materials and used the altered document at the checkpoint. The vessel was owned by Mohammad Alam, a resident of St Martin's.
According to related sources, the same syndicate has long been involved in smuggling food, fertilisers, and construction materials to Myanmar using forged documents.
